Flooding on two southern islands last week was predicted by an environment impact assessment for a causeway proposed to connect the Hoadehdhoo and Madaveli islands.

Hoadehdhoo islanders dug out a section from the 440-meter causeway after swell surges flooded the island over the previous week. The MVR29 million (US$1.8 million) project was inaugurated by President Abdulla Yameen during a campaign trip in August.

The change of government in the Maldives presents a huge opportunity to break with the repression and human rights violations of the past and chart a fresh course where human rights are at the heart of the policies and action of the new government, Amnesty International said today.

The 23 September 2018 presidential election saw the defeat of President Abdulla Yameen to the Joint Opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Abdulla Yameen’s rule was marked by attacks on civil society, media workers, the political opposition and the judiciary.

At a meeting held today in Ministry of Health, medical equipment worth 40 Million Maldivian Rufiyaa was agreed to be donated to the Health Sector of Maldives by the Government of Japan. The relevant documents were signed by Mr. Abe Masamichi (Counselor) from Embassy of Japan and Dr. Mohamed Shaafiee Abdul Munim, (Deputy Minister) from the Ministry of Health.

The equipment scheduled to be delivered in 2019 is planned to be distributed to IGMH and Atoll Health Facilities.

While access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities in schools is high, poor design and operations and maintenance (O&M) remain challenges and there are no specific menstrual hygiene management (MHM) policies or programmes. Formal hygiene education, trained school health assistants and good hygiene practices are lacking. MHM is not in the curriculum, and WASH needs to be integrated into education materials, alongside more training for school staff.

GENEVA (16 April, 2018) – Maldives must restore ex-President Mohamed Nasheed’s right to stand for office, including the office of President, the UN Human Rights Committee concluded in a finding made public today. The finding of violations of human rights was made in response to two individual complaints by Mr. Nasheed filed in 2013 and 2016.

To further strengthen country preparedness, a Health Emergency Operations Center was launched in the Ministry of Health today with support from WHO, whom handed over all necessary equipment to establish the center. The handover document was signed by His Excellency Mr. Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, Minister of Health and Dr Arvind Mathur, WHO Representative to the Maldives.

A collaboration between UNFPA and the Ministry of Health of Maldives aimed to promote equity in access to SRH services and information. In furtherance of this collaboration, UNFPA is supporting the study of the efficiency of SRH spending, an economic evaluation of benefits against costs of SRH service delivery as planned in the Maldives’ National Reproductive Health Strategy of 2014-2018.

Maldives has a total population of 407,660 (out of which about 15% are foreign citizens), distributed in 187 administrative islands. The youth cohort (15-29 years) comprise of 31.5 % of the population. While Male’, the capital island, has a population of roughly 38 percent of the total population, about 62 percent live in the islands of the Atolls. Maldives ranks at 105 out of the 188 countries in the UNDP Human Development Index.

GENEVA (12 February 2018) – The detention of two Supreme Court judges in the Maldives is an attack on the independence of the judiciary and undermines the court’s ability to work freely and effectively, a group of United Nations human rights experts* has warned.

“The independence of the judiciary is under serious threat, along with the principle of separation of powers between the State and the courts,” the experts said in a joint statement.

On the 1st of February 2018, by way of Court Order No. 2018/SC-SJ/01, the Supreme Court of the Maldives made the following judgement:

a. Quashed the Supreme Court Case verdict on Case No:
2017/SC-A/17;
b. Declared that the Judicial Service Commission has no mandate over the Supreme Court Justices, overriding Article 159 of the Constitution which empowers the Judicial Services Commission to appoint, investigate complaints against, and give recommendations for dismissal of judges;
c. Only the Supreme Court can appoint judges.

GENEVA (7 February 2018) – The declaration of the State of Emergency in the Maldives by President Abdulla Yameen and the resulting suspension of constitutional guarantees have swept away the checks and balances and separation of powers necessary in any functioning democracy, potentially leading to a greater number of violations of the rights of people in the Maldives, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said on Wednesday.

The declaration of the state of emergency on February 5 by the President of the Maldives undermines democracy and human rights and further escalates political tensions in the country. The European Union expects the state of emergency to be lifted without delay.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General is seriously concerned about the unfolding situation in Maldives, in particular the declaration of a state of emergency and the entry of security forces into the Supreme Court premises.

Still haunted by the memories of the 2004 tsunami, people in M. Kolhufushi island, Maldives are preparing for their first tsunami drill. Conducted in the school, the drill will help to lay out a much-needed evacuation plan for the students and the community.